(ex)highschool sweethearts
by ahsahsahs
Summary: They were together during high school, and then they weren't. After six years, she's sure both of them have moved on. At least she thinks she is.
1. Reunion

The routine sound of her alarm going off tells her she has yet another dull day at the office to look forward to. Though since it's a Friday, the day might go by not too badly. Hitting the snooze button to stop the obnoxious beeping, she pulls herself to sit upright on the bed trying to be as quiet as she can making sure not to rouse the person next to her. He looks peaceful for the first time in weeks. Work had been really catching up on him and she could see the stress lines beginning to show on his handsome face.

Just as she moved to get off, a pair of strong arms pulled her back.

"I just got back," he mumbles, his voice rough and draggy. "Cuddle with me for a bit."

"I have to get ready for work," she whispers softly, while contradicting her words by letting herself be pulled deeper into his arms. She turns her body to face him, placing soft kisses along his scruffed jaw.

"Then stop kissing me like that," he murmurs, his eyes still closed as he pouts his lips.

"I do have to go," she repeats, kissing him hard on his soft lips.

He reluctantly lets her go, opening his grey eyes as he leans forward to brush his lips against hers once more.

"Alright, alright, Mr. Humbert – I have work to go to."

She pulls herself out of his loose embrace, swinging her legs off the bed and trailing towards the bathroom.

"_Graham!_"

"_What?_" he whines from the opposite side of the door.

"Stop leaving your damn boxers on the floor! We have a hamper for that!" she yells, picking his boxers up and throwing it into the laundry basket.

She strips herself bare before stepping into the shower and turning on the spray. She hears the door open but ignores it, continuing to scrub her head. His arms envelope her while he kisses her neck, soft and sweet.

"Sorry?" he murmurs in her ear before trailing his lips along her jawline as an apology, his hands running up and down her water slicked body, pressing his very bare and _very _hard self against her.

He's already forgiven.

-/-

She picks reads through yet another file, skimming over the agreement and she sighs, dropping the document onto her desk flatly. It's on days like these where she wishes she had chosen another field to go into, instead of rushing head first into law just because both her parents were lawyers.

She wishes she could have chosen a career where she could _see_ what she was doing was helping the world – something like Graham. She likes to think that if she were good at her sciences she would've been a doctor like him, but she's seen the hectic schedule of his, and she just doesn't think she can manage it. She admires him completely – not once had he complained of his daily three-hour nights before being called back into the hospital.

Or perhaps like Ruby. Though she may not necessarily be helping people out, she did something she was truly passionate about. Not that photography was ever Emma's forte, but doing something you _loved _had to be _nice_.

_1:34PM_. _Shit_. She had lost track of time and seems to have completely forgotten it was her lunch break. Looking outside through her glass walls (yet another thing she hated about work – she always felt like she was on showcase for everyone to see) she notices that majority of the cubicles are empty.

Sighing as she gets up, her chair rolling gently away, she moves towards the elevator. She doesn't have enough time for actual lunch, so she makes her way to the nearby Starbucks a block away.

"Grande, hot chocolate please," she smiles at the barista, as she passes her the money, her usual one (Anne) not seeming to be working today. Just as she's moving towards the collecting area, she remembers that she hadn't asked for added cinnamon. Anne would usually know to add cinnamon, and Emma grimaces at the thought of her cinnamon-less drink.

There are four or five people waiting for their respective drinks before her – a burly Caucasian male, a teen girl with her hair pulled back _(shouldn't she be in school?)_, a handsome dark man with what looks like his sister, and a man that looks about her age wearing a trucker hat and sunglasses _(they're indoors for God's sake, _she rolls her eyes to herself).

"Caramel Macchiato for Darren, Green Tea Latte for Sasha!" one of the employees call out, and the handsome man and his maybe-sister (she doesn't think she's his sister anymore when they hold hands as they go to collect their drinks) move to get their order. A lady comes behind Emma to join them in their wait for their coffees when the teenaged girl moves to collect her order (Java Chip Frappuccino, _typical)_.

She watches as the burly man taps his foot impatiently on the ground, clearly annoyed that the girl had gotten her drink before he did. As the barista calls out for the man's drink, her phone goes off and it's a call from Graham.

_"Hey sweetheart – I'm having a break right now," _he sighs relieved on the other end of the line. _"How was work?"_

"Slow," she grumbles like a five year old, and he laughs on the other end. "And you?"

_"Oh, you know, saved some lives – the usual." _She can practically hear him grinning and she's rolling her eyes in return. _"But in all seriousness – I am beat."_

"How about I cook you an amazing dinner tonight? And when I say cook, I mean takeout."

_"As much as I'd love that, I've just been scheduled for a surgery at 9 – I'll probably be home late."_

"Oh."

_"I'm sorry,"_ he sighs.

"No, it's alright, I was thinking of asking Ruby and Mary Margaret out tonight, anyway," she reassures.

"Hot chocolate!" she hears being called.

"Hey, I'll talk to you later, okay?"

_"Sorry again, darling. Love you."_

"Love you too."

She hangs up. She's walking towards the counter when Mr-the-indoor-lights-are-too-bright grabs _her _drink and takes a long sip.

"_Hey!_" she yells, and a few more heads than she expects turns. "That's _mine!_" she snatches the drink from his grasp – _and yes, she's very aware that she sounds like a damn child upset over her toy. _

The man looks slightly amused, raising a single eyebrow as she narrows her eyes at him. He pulls the cup right out of her hand and turns it so that the name is facing her. And _shit_, it's not her name that's written down.

"Hot chocolate for Emma!" the boy calls, and she can _feel_ herself going red. She turns immediately grabbing her drink and ready to just _go_, when Mr-the-indoor-lights-are-too-bright grabs her arm.

"Emma?"

She turns to face him, confusion clearly written on her face until he pulls off his sunglasses.

"Killian."

-/-

They move to the small round table in the corner after the lady that was waiting after Emma showed her clear annoyance at the two of them hogging the counter.

"Geez, people just can't wait huh," she says loudly in the direction of the lady who's giving her the stink eye as she sits down. He's laughing silently, sitting across her and she narrows her eyes at him. "What?"

He shakes his head, smiling. "You just haven't changed the slightest."

"I like to think I've matured just a little bit," she grins at him. "Sorry for, uh, yelling at you about the hot chocolate," she reaches behind her ear and scratches that spot – something she picked up from him all those years ago.

"Nothing to worry about, Swan."

He hasn't stopped smiling and which makes _her_ unable to not smile.

"So what do you do now?"

"I'm in estate law," she answers, taking a sip of _her_ hot chocolate and he nods. "And you?"

"Guess," his smile grows larger, and she quirks an eyebrow.

"A scientist?" He shakes his head. "An accountant?" He's shaking his head again. "A cop?"

"God no! You know how I detest the police!"

"Then what!"

"I'm a football player," he's grinning so widely his eyes sparkle even more than usual.

"In the NFL? I think I'd know- _oh!_ You mean _soccer!_" It finally clicks when he shakes his head in amusement.

"You Americans have yet to learn what _football_ is," he teases as he takes a sip.

"Not that I know any of the teams, but where are you playing at?"

"NYFC," he says proudly and she assumes it's a good club. "Lass, you don't understand – I'm in the same team as _Frank Lampard!"_ he tells her enthusiastically, leaning forward as he speaks. His face falls when she doesn't share his enthusiasm. "Remember the poster of the man in the white shirt that was on my bedroom wall?"

"_Oh!_"

She remembers very well now. The poster was hung on the back of his door, and every time she came over to do – well, _stuff_, it'll be the last thing she sees of his room when he sneaks her out.

"You really did it, huh?"

He shrugs all too modestly. "Anyway! Single? Engaged? Married? Still unable to get over your extremely amazing ex?" he winks at her. As serious as they were when they were together, it's comfortable to joke around like this with him.

"There's a guy," she says slowly and suddenly she feels shy talking about Graham with him. She tries hiding her face behind her now warmer hot chocolate. He looks at her expectantly, urging her to go on. "His name is Graham Humbert," she finally spits out.

"Humbert? You have a thing for Brits don't you, love?"

She wants to say yes, because only British men can pull off calling women _love _without sounding creepy (though not even Graham can pull it off as well as he does). Instead, she gives him an annoyed look.

Her phone beeps, and when she glances at it, it's Ruby. _Dinner at Gran—_ she reads, stopping mid-text when she notices the time._ 2:15PM. Shit_.

She gets up abruptly and Killian follows, standing up with her. "_Shit, shit, shit_. My lunch break ended twenty minutes ago!"

The confusion that was apparent on his face is replaced by an amused look. "You've never been one for time management, Swan."

"Shut up."

"It's true," he says in a singsong voice.

"Okay, now I really have to go. We'll catch up soon, yeah?" she promises and he smiles.

"Definitely."

She's walking away when he yells after her and she turns back.

"Lass!" he calls as he grabs her arm and pulls her back. "You don't have my number," he grins widely and she rolls her eyes at his antics. She pulls her arm gently from his grasp withdrawing her phone from her bag and passes it to him. He types in his number and hands the phone back to her. "Do call," he beams and she rolls her eyes again.

She's late for work, but she hasn't seen Killian for the past six years and she doesn't seem to care. She goes back to work slightly happier than she was leaving. Then again, he always did he always had that effect on her.

Ariel asks her why she's smiling so much when she gets back to work and when she tries to hide it, her lips can't help stop the upward tilt.

At five o'clock, she receives a text from Elsa with an attached picture of…_ her._ Her and Killian that is. It's a clear paparazzi shot of the two of them, and _now _she gets why he was disguised as Mr-the-indoor-lights-are-too-bright.

_You know Jones?!_

**_Long story _**

_Do tell._

**_Some other time ;)_**

_You're no fun :(_

**_Dinner tonight? w Ruby and MM_**

She knows Elsa still doesn't feel comfortable around her friends, but she's sure once they're acquainted, the four of them would hit it off perfectly.

**_I'll tell you then_****, **she promises after a moment of no reply hoping that she'll take the bait.

_Give me the time and place, and I'm there._

-/-

_God, she didn't even want to be at this party. If it weren't for Mary Margaret's constant pestering, she would still be in her bed._

_And now she has to endure a bunch of drunken douches who think drinking and drugs were cool. And **shit,** Killian was here strutting around like he owned the damn place (probably because it **was** his house). _

_Captain of the soccer team yet only a junior, it was no surprise every girl he asked out said yes._

_Every girl but Emma Swan. _

_She wore the title proudly, very aware of the judging looks and the hushed whispers she got from apparently jealous girls in the hallways. _

_Even as she sits alone on the sofa, having **both **her friends abandoned her (Ruby was off hunting her next prey, and even Mary Margaret was getting her flirt on), she could clearly hear the envious girls. She's pretty sure she's been dubbed the 'girl who turned down Killian Jones', hearing Amy Smith saying it into her friend's ear. She's never been one to let people get to her, not even during the period of time when she was known as the 'blonde virgin' because apparently being blonde and still a virgin at the age of sixteen is as rare as seeing a unicorn. _

_She's assigned herself as designated driver, not feeling much in the mood to get drunk. She's had a sip of beer, and that's about it (She still doesn't get why people like is so much – it tastes like piss). _

_"Emma Swan," August greets loudly, just so she can hear above the blaring music, as he collapses on the empty spot next to her. _

_"August Booth," she nods her head in acknowledgement._

_"A drink?"_

_She shakes her head and points to the barely drank bottle of beer sitting alone on the coffee table in front of them. He bobs his head as he looks around the room, looking to find something to talk about with her (he's had the biggest crush on her for the longest of times, but August was just **August**)._

_"Hm," he hums, nodding towards the corridor connecting the living room to the kitchen, "Jones and Lucas seem pretty cozy – that's a new development."_

_His words don't really make sense to her until she turns to where he's looking at, and **shit** – **Killian is Ruby's new prey**. _

_She can't seem to peel her eyes away from the scene – her back against the wall, his arm placed flat just above her head, while he leans in and whispers something in her ear. She's not jealous, she swears she isn't – she **was** the one to turn down his offer to go out on a date on more than one occasion anyway. And everyone knows that Killian Jones doesn't ask a girl out more than once. _

_She leans up and says something back, and he laughs charmingly at it._

_"Emma?" August's voice sounds in her ears and she shakes her head out of her trance._

_"What?"_

_"Do you – uh – wanna get out of here?" he gestures to the door with a nod of his head. _

_She gives him a sad smile – if it were anyone else, she'd flat out reject them, but August is a sweetheart, always had been, always would be, and she figures he deserves to be treated better than 'anyone else'. "I'm sorry, August, I'm driving Ruby and Mary Margaret back," she uses as an excuse._

_"Doesn't seem like Ruby will need a lift back home," he shrugs as moves to stand up, but looking to get the hint. He offers her a smile before he turns and walks towards the kitchen, past the disgusting (not that she cares) duo of Killian and Ruby._

_She's definitely **not** jealous._

_She drinks some more, shooting the unsuspecting couple daggers. He isn't leaning over her anymore, though they remain to seem pretty engrossed in whatever they're talking about. _

_She doesn't know why she does it, but once Ruby walks away, the two of them exchanging nods before she turns away, Emma's marching up to him. She knows he sees her approaching, but he doesn't want to seem too eager, so it's only when she's two steps away from him does he turn towards her._

_"Swa—" he doesn't get to finish his greeting before she's pulling his flannel shirt towards her and hauling his lips onto hers in a rough kiss._

_He doesn't react immediately, taking a few seconds before he's responding and when he does, he's **responding alright**. His hands are on her waist and he pulls her flush against him, all the while moving his lips against hers in a well rehearsed dance. _

_She's the first one to deepen the kiss, opening her mouth to nudge her tongue against his lips, and he follows eagerly, their tongues battling for dominance – though it's hard to tell who's winning (she honestly can't be bothered if she's losing). _

_She's acutely aware of the cheers and hollers surrounding them, but she doesn't seem to care. She blames the beers she had for her rash actions, but in all honesty, she didn't drink much. _

_When she finally pulls away, he chases her, placing a few soft kisses on her lips before resting his forehead against hers. _

_She hears the '**way to go Jones**'s and the '**it's about time!**' (from a voice that sounds familiarly like Ruby's) and she can't stop the soft upwards tilt of her lips._

_"Well that was—"_

_"Take me out – to dinner, lunch, **whatever**," she breathes and she knows the whole junior year is probably watching on, and it's not a very private first kiss with him, but all that matters right now is **him **and **her**. _

_She doesn't know when she began having feelings for him – maybe during the second date proposal, where he'd gone completely over the top, hacking the school's sound system and asking her whilst the whole student and teacher body listened in (she didn't say yes)(he received detention) – but all she knows is that she doesn't want to see anyone else besides her with him._

_"Gods, love, **finally**."_

_-/-_

"So that was how we got together," she says to Elsa who's been completely attentive throughout the whole story. "I still haven't forgiven you for flirting with him so blatantly," she shoots at Ruby.

"The funny thing is, we were talking about ways to get you to say yes to a date. I wouldn't flirt with him – Jones was yours from the beginning."

"You're kidding."

"Nope," Ruby says, popping the 'p', "I couldn't hear anything over the music – how else were we supposed to plot?" Ruby smirks, and Mary Margaret nods in agreement at the side.

"At least it got the two of you together!" Elsa chimes in all smiles, ever the optimist.

Ruby grins at that, and gives her a _'see?' _look, earning an eye roll from Emma.

"You should've seen them – completely adorable—"

"—and inseparable—"

"—in the most nauseating ways—"

"—but also the cutest!" Mary Margaret and Ruby say back and forth, and watching Elsa's head turn from right to left and then back in an attempt to keep up with the two of them was _very_ amusing.

"We all thought they were going to get married," Mary Margaret hums, as she sucks on the straw of her iced tea.

"I _still _do," Ruby adds and Emma shoots her an empty glare.

"And Graham?"

"I never liked Graham too much," she turns to Elsa with a shrug.

"You only don't like him because you think he's boring!" Emma comes to her boyfriend's defense.

"Not true – I for one have always believed you and Jones are soul mates – meant to be – true loves – _whatever you want to call it_."

Emma shakes her head because she's never been one to believe in _soul mates _and _true loves, _having to go through her parent's messy divorce. True loves aren't real (except for perhaps Mary Margaret and David because those two were _made_ for each other) and soul mates were just a myth. She's never understood marriage – never did, never have – after all, 50% of marriages end in divorce anyway.

"You're ridiculous – It's been over six years, I've moved on, and he probably has, too."

"_Oh!"_ Elsa exclaims suddenly, and all eyes turn to her, "He just got out of a messy break up!"

"How the hell do you know that?" both Ruby and Emma ask in unison.

She gives them a shy grin, "My boyfriend likes the sport – I like the men," she shrugs and Emma can see the wide grin growing on Ruby's face.

"I like the way you think – we should hang out more."

She blushes at that, but turns to look at Emma. "How long were you guys together for?"

"Just over two years – we broke it off during college – the long distance thing didn't really work for us," she shrugs. They're all quiet for a moment, the topic of the end of her relationship with Killian an obvious downer.

"I don't know – I still think _Emma Jones, _has a better ring to it than _Emma Humbert_," Ruby mentions suddenly and the mood is immediately lightened.

"I quite like _Emma Humbert_ though," Mary Margaret replies.

Emma shakes her head – she's only been with Graham for just over 10 months. "I don't think I ever want to get married," she shrugs. "I could totally be with someone for the rest of my life – but I don't think I ever want to be called someone's wife. It complicates things, you know?" Both Ruby and Elsa nod in agreement, while Mary Margaret looks confused (she always believed that marriage is the happily ever after). "I'd like to remain _Emma Swan_ for the rest of my life."

"Amen to that," Ruby hollers, sipping her drink. "Enough about Emma's sucky no-marriage-for-me rule," she turns to the newer member of the group, "_so, _tell us about this elusive soccer watching boyfriend of yours."

Elsa blushes deeply, "_Well_, his name is Jack."

-/-

It's only on Sunday that she remembers she has his number and decides to call him up. It takes her awhile to find his name, because _obviously _he'd save his name under _'dashing rapscallion'_. _The damn idiot_.

_"Hello?"_

"Hey."

_"Swan." _Just by the way he says her name, she knows he's grinning on the other end. _"Took you long enough to call."_

She smiles at that, shaking her head softly to herself. "I think that may be your fault – took me about 10 minutes to find your name." She hears him laugh, followed by a dull thump on his end of the line. "Did I catch you at a bad time?"

_"Absolutely not, love – just got home from training."_

"Yeah? _Hey_, did you know there are pictures of us online?" she asks, suddenly remembering it.

_"And this is why I can't have a social life outside of the team," _he sighs, and she imagines him pinching the bridge of his nose (he does it whenever he's frustrated). _"Sorry about that, Swan."_

"It's really no problem," she smiles even though he can't see her. "Ruby and Mary Margaret send their regards."

_"Ah, the infamous trio still thick as thieves, huh?" _he chuckles.

"Thicker than ever. Come on, I'm sure you're still friends with – _what's his name? _– Derek _something_."

_"Derek Johnson. And you're kidding – that guy was a git."_

"So _really _no one back from high school?"

_"After my mum," _he pauses, taking in a deep breath, _"I guess I just wanted to start anew."_

She's quiet. She knows the whole issue of his parents was/is a big deal to him, and she respects that.

It was right after graduation when he was told that his mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. They had plans – they were supposed to take a gap year and just _be together_, but when the news came in, things changed. His mother had wanted to return to England where they had a few relatives that had recently moved from Ireland.

When he'd first moved back, things were okay. They'd call each other constantly (expensive international phone bills be damned) and every few weeks, they'd alternate as to who would be flying to where.

His mother died four months after.

"Hey, I get it. We don't have to talk about if it you don't want to."

She hears the front door opening and Graham's calling out _'Honey! I'm home!' _– this month's favorite thing of his to say. She rolls her eyes, because as hard as he tries, his jokes aren't funny. He does try hard enough for it to be called cute.

"In here!" she calls away from her phone, and he's in their bedroom within the next ten seconds. He wraps his arms around her from the back and kisses her cheek sweetly. "I'll talk to you soon, alright?" she says bringing her phone to her ear.

_"Alright, Swan. Do try to get back to me sooner. It's always a pleasure with you."_

"I'll try," she replies smiling, "Catch up soon," she promises.

She hangs up and throws her phone on the bed, making a soft landing on one of the pillows. She turns in Graham's arms to face him, kissing him hard on the lips.

"Hi."

"Hello, darling," he tilts his head up and kisses her nose. "Who were you talking to?"

"An ex." He frowns at that, and she shakes her head lightly. "_From high school_." His expressions don't change and she's reminded that he's _very_ insecure. "I haven't spoken to him for over six years, and he was a friend before and after we were dating."

He relaxes at that. "So, have I heard of this guy? Or is he one of Emma Swan's elusive exes?" he teases and she smiles in return but it doesn't reach her eyes. She's mentioned Neal and that he broke her heart, but never why, when or how.

"I think I've mentioned him before – Killian, Killian Jones?"

"_What?"_

"What?" she asks back confused.

"He used to play for the Celtics!"

"I'm not going to pretend I know what that is."

"The football team! The Irish one! I think he's recently moved to some team in the MLS," he tells her, holding onto her arms as he pulls away from her. "You dated _him_?"

"_Yeah?"_ she replies shyly.

"You have a thing for the Irish, don't you?" he laughs.

"Funny thing is, he said the same thing the other day," she mentions. "Anyway, do you want to go out and get something to eat? I'm starving."

He pulls her to his side and places his arm over her shoulder, kissing her sweetly at her temple. "Anything for my princess."

* * *

**A/N: I promise it's a Captain Swan story! Reviews, favourites and follows are very very much appreciated! Thank you for reading :)**


	2. The Joneses

**A/N: Flashbacks ****_aren't _****in chronological order!**

* * *

_"I'm sorry for your lost – she was a truly an amazing person."_

_She must have heard that being said over fifty times. Killian usually said nothing; instead, he'd nod his head solemnly and give them his best smile. It never once reached his eyes._

_He hasn't shed a single tear, and she knows he's holding it all in. His older brother doesn't try to be as strong as Killian tries, having broken down at the first 'I'm sorry' said. His younger brother, ten years old though still very small in size, stands on the other side of Killian, holding onto his older brother's hand in his black tux, with tears welling in his eyes. _

_"I'm just going to get some air for awhile," he leans in and whispers in her ear._

_"Do you want me to come?"_

_"No," he shakes his head. "I'll be alright."_

_He leans down and kisses Ayden on the top of his head, ruffling his dark curls and whispering a soft and reassuring, 'I'll be back, lad,' when the boy looks up at him confused with his big blue eyes. _

_He brings their intertwined hands to his lips, and kisses her fingers softly. "I love you."_

_"I love you too." _

_She lets go of his hand and he moves towards the back door._

_"Em, where's Killian gone?" Ayden tugs on the hem of her dress. He looks puzzled, but all she sees when she looks at the young boy is Killian. She's never been much of a crier, but staring into his soft blue eyes, she can't help the tears that begin to well up in her eyes. _

_"He'll be back." She squats down and holds her hand out, beckoning him to take it. "Come here." Ayden follows, and holds her hand as she leads him. "Let's get you to Liam, huh?"_

_She finds Liam in the kitchen, leaning against the counter with a bottle of beer in his hand. He puts it aside the moment he sees his younger brother. Liam pulls him to his side allowing Ayden to hug his waist as Liam strokes his hair softly._

_Not wanting to alert Ayden, she mouths 'where's Killian?' and Liam answers by pointing towards the staircase. She smiles and leans in to kiss him on his cheek and he gives her a sad smile in return._

_"Is Killian going to be alright? He looked so sad." she hears Ayden ask quietly, as she moves towards the stairs and her heart aches._

_"He will," Liam assures him softly._

_She finds him in his room sitting on the edge of his bed, elbows on knees and face in hands. He's sobbing hard and breaths are labored. _

_She moves to kneel in front of him, pulling his damp hands away from his face and holds them both in hers. His handsome face is wet with tears and his nose is red. She kisses his hands repeatedly, accompanied by soft 'I'm right here's. _

_She's glad he's crying, that he isn't holding it in. It doesn't matter to her that he has to hide in his room in order to do it, because in here, he doesn't have to be strong for anyone. _

_It's alright to show weakness right now._

_She'll be strong for him._

* * *

"Yes, _I understand_, but Mr. Johnson specifically stated in his will that all his property would be split between his children." She's getting annoyed. The man's ex-wife is determined to find a loophole in Mr. Johnson's will, hoping that she'll be able to seize some of his property, but it was pretty straight forwards. "Miss," she interrupts mid-sentence, and she pauses on the other end of the line, "there's really nothing you can do. As of now, your ex-husband's properties all belong to your stepchildren." She pinches the bridge of her nose in frustration – _she's just not getting it._ "No, unless there's another—"

The call ends abruptly and she's never been happier to be hung up on.

_(5) New Messages_

Damn that lady could talk.

_You're not going to guess which soccer team I'm taking a photoshoot for._

_Any guesses?_

_No?_

_You guessed it. New York Football Club._

_Boy does Killian look good._

**_He told me about some photoshoot._**

**_Didn't know it's with you._**

_Small world, huh?_

She doesn't reply her, and decides to call Killian up. Though it's been over a week since they last spoke, they text each other back and forth, catching up on the little things.

_"Swan."_

"Jones," she greets back. The background sound on his end is loud, and it sounds like multiple showers are running. "Did you just finish training?"

_"Yeah. Hey!" _he says excitedly, _"Guess who I'm meeting today?"_

"Do I really have to guess?"

_"You're such a downer,"_ he says, and she just knows he's pouting. _"Liam's in town today!" _he answers nonetheless, and she can feel how happy he is.

"That's great! Send him my regards."

_"You know he'd love to see you."_

"Graham's coming back from a conference tonight. How long will Liam be here for?" she asks, because she _does _want to see Liam, given the last time she saw him was at his mother's funeral.

_"For the next week or so. I think he's visiting to tell us that he's proposing to his girlfriend."_

"That's amazing!" she exclaims, and _she _flinches at how loud it comes out. "I still remember back when he was dating Arielle—"

_"Love, he's __**still**__ dating Arielle," _he says slowly, and she just knows he's on the verge of laughing on the other end.

_"What?_ It's been like _eight years _and they're _still_ not married?"

He chuckles softly, _"That's exactly what I told the git. 'Put a ring on her finger or someone else would.' Let's hope he'll do it this time."_

She laughs at that, knowing how stubborn all three Jones brothers are, never listening to each other's advice.

"I hear you're doing a photoshoot with Ruby?"

_"Done," _he corrects. _"She looks good. Didn't have much time to catch up with her, though."_

"We'll have to get together – the old gang."

_"We do." _She hears a muffled noise on his end, and he's saying something away from the phone. _"For now, I do have to go. Liam __**does **__want to see you."_

"Tell him I'll see him soon."

_"Will do, love. Talk to you soon."_

* * *

She makes it home by a quarter to seven, just in time for her to start cooking her only known recipe before Graham's gets back. His flight back from Seattle touches down at 7:10, giving her just enough time to boil the spaghetti and cook the sauce before he arrives home at half past seven. It's the only dish she knows to make, having been the only child of divorced parents both her mother and father had spoiled her, not allowing her to lift a finger. Back then, she'd laugh at all her friends that were forced to help out in the kitchen; but now, she sorely regrets it.

She manages to finish everything by 7:20, plates set out, candles lit and lights dimmed. She knows it's stupid to want to celebrate their tenth month together, but (after Killian and he-who-must-never-ever-be-named, a.k.a Neal) she's never been one for long relationships, always finding the guy _too_ boring, or _too_ overwhelming, or _too_ tall, or _too_ handsome as a reason to run out early. She doesn't expect anything from him; just the idea that _he's still here _is enough for her.

At 7:30, he texts that he's five minutes away and to not 'miss him too much'. (She rolls her eyes)

True to his word, she hears the door opening a few minutes later, his signature _'Honey, I'm home,' _dying mid sentence on his lips when he sees the dining table. When she appears by the door of the bedroom, she sees the awestruck look on his face and she feels _proud_, having never being a real romantic. He turns to face her, a huge smile growing on his lips, and she can't help but return the gesture.

He drops his bag by the door as he makes his way towards her, and he looks as though he's trying to suppress his grin.

"Hello," he smiles, pulling out a bouquet from behind his back and they're _beautiful._ "Picked up some lilies for you on the way back," he hands the flowers over to her and as she brings it up to her nose to smell, he leans in and kisses her forehead. "Happy 10 months, sweetheart."

"Happy 10 months," she repeats below a whisper, a smile playing on the corner of her lips. "I made spaghetti," she shrugs, "I know it not super romantic or anything but I—"

He manages to stop her with a kiss and she shuts up.

"It's perfect."

And so it was.

* * *

_Liam and Ayden are demanding dinner with you_

She wakes up to his message the next day, the timestamp reading _6:23AM_ and she's reminded that he's _always_ been one to wake up early – his career definitely not bothered by his routine.

_You and the Jones brothers are in real need of some catch up time_

**_I have missed the infamous Jones brothers_**

_I can assure you they have too_

Her smile grows at that. She hears the rustling of their bed sheets and Graham pulls her back into the bed.

"Who's that?" he murmurs, voice gravelly from sleep. He drops a kiss to her shoulder and she settles back against his chest.

"Killian. Do we have any plans tonight?"

He hums for a moment, "I might have to go into the hospital today – why?"

"His brother's in town and he wants to see me - they want to catch up over dinner."

When she turns her head to look at him, he looks skeptical.

"He's just asked his girlfriend to marry him," she mentions, though she doesn't _really_ know if he has, "and we were really close back when I was in high school."

"Just the three of you?" he asks, but there's no jealousy behind it, simply curiosity.

"Four," she corrects, and her phone beeps again and she sees it's from Killian. "His younger brother's coming too."

"Alright," she feels him smile, and a second later, her back is flat against the mattress and he has her pinned down.

He kisses a line down her jaw, trailing his lips to her collarbone, and she has to bite on her bottom lip to make sure she doesn't moan. She only bothered putting a bra and underwear back on after last night, and his lips travel down the valley in between her breast, making its way to her stomach. He's going lower, lower, _lower_—

His pager beeps from the nightstand, making them both sigh in unison.

"Fuck."

He reaches over and grabs it, worry lines appearing and ruining his handsome features. He drops a kiss to her stomach, his lips murmuring a soft 'Sorry, love,' against her skin as he jumps off the bed.

He hops into the bathroom and she hears the shower being run - all the while she's lying flat out on their bed, half naked, lip bitten, fingers clenched to the sheets, and _completely_ unsatisfied.

She lets out a long sigh, and props herself up and looks for her phone. She finds it underneath the pillow, reading _(2) New Messages._

_Most people would take your silence as a no, but since I am not most people, I'll see you at seven_

She just knows that a smirk appears on his face as he types this out - he was always one to laugh or smile at his own jokes.

_Oh, and Ayden tells me to tell you that he misses you. That git._

**_See you at seven _**

**_Tell him I miss him too. Tell him he's still a 10 year old kid to me. _**

* * *

"Bloody hell, I still can't get over how beautiful you've become," Liam mentions over dinner and Emma would be lying if she said she didn't blush. (Truth be told, she's always found Liam good looking - way before her Killian-dating-days)

"Then you're an idiot, she's _always_ been this beautiful," Ayden winks at her and _damn_, the kid's got game now.

Killian's not too impressed, granting a not at all subtle eye roll to his younger brother. Ayden shrugs, a smirk growing on his lips, and shit – he's a hybrid of Killian and Liam combined; face shape, and shade of blue eyes more to Killian, while he takes after Liam's curly dark brown hair. The teenaged boy's smile (smirk and grin included) is an exact replica of Killian's. It scares her just how similar Ayden looks are the same as Killian's when he was his age.

"Out of your league, brother."

"If she's dated you, Kill, _I'd_ be an upgrade."

Liam, Ayden and Emma all laugh at that, and Killian glares at all three. Apparently the youngest brother gets his wit from the oldest.

"I'm basically a better looking version of you - it's time you admit it," the younger boy shrugs, nudging Emma with a wink.

"You didn't tell me your brother's got game now," she teases and Killian's looking _really_ annoyed. The rest of them look _very_ pleased with themselves and Killian's annoyance only helps provoke them.

"Still under aged."

"Wait for me, will you, love?" Ayden jokes, and _God_ has she missed this Jones family.

Killian shoots his younger brother another deadly glare, and she finally decides to give him a break, changing the topic of conversation.

Turns out, Liam _does_ propose to Arielle, and the story of the proposal is completely adorable.

Ayden too has quite the love life; taking his older brother's title of high school player. The youngest brother's accent isn't as thick as Killian's, having picked up the American accent quite easily, though he does mention that consciously putting on the Irish accent helps get more girls' numbers. Liam shakes his head at that, his committed relationship to Arielle showing his opinion on monogamy.

The four of them catch up just like it was six years ago (except now, Ayden can _actually_ join in on the conversation).

She doesn't even realize it's eleven until she receives a text from Graham saying he's just finished work and he's on the way home. And when she says she needs to go home, all three Jones brothers offer to walk her back as much as she insists her loft is only four blocks away, but then again, it's New York and it's late.

It ends up as Killian and Ayden walking together ahead of them, while Liam and Emma are paired together behind.

He slings his arm over her, pulling her to his side.

"I've missed you, Swan."

"Missed you too, Liam," she leans into his body. It's comfortable like this with him, he's always been like the big brother figure she never had. Even back in the day when she and Killian got into fights, she'd run to him for advice.

"You ruined him," he hums, and she looks up at him confused. "You ruined him for any other girl." She doesn't say anything, choosing to keep quiet and let him speak instead. "After you, there was Milah. _I _didn't quite like her, but she was good for him, you know? Made him smile a bit after _everything_, but he wasn't _happy._"

"We're not- we're not getting back together, you know that right?"

"I know," he answers confidently. "I'm just saying." He shrugs and squeezes her tightly. "How's your beau?"

"He's good," she smiles, because it _really is good, _and she doesn't want to mess this one up.

"You're happy?"

"I am."

"Then on behalf of us Jones', we're happy."

She really doesn't mean to get emotional, but she can't help the tears that begin to well up in her eyes. At the exact moment a tear rolls down her cheek, both of the younger Jones brothers turn to look at them to find Emma crying.

"What the bloody hell did you do to her, mate?" Killian exclaims overdramatically as he jogs back to walk in step with them, swinging his arm around her, overlapping Liam's.

"She's a tough lass," his brother replies, winking at her and she laughs through the tears.

She stands in the middle while the three of them argue over _God knows what_, but she can't seem to find a reason to complain. She's missed this more than she knew she did, and she's can't _not _smile.

When they reach her apartment, Liam tells her to keep in touch, and that he hopes to see her at the wedding (she promises she'll try); and Ayden gives her a tight hug, she kisses him on the cheek and she swears after all the shameless flirting, he blushes. She hugs Killian goodbye, and he smiles happily at her.

They wait until they see her walk up the stairs through the glass doors until they leave. The Jones brothers are nothing if not gentlemen, she admits.

She sees Graham's boots by the door when she enters the apartment when he calls her name.

"Emma?"

She's shrugging off her dark colored coat as she makes her way towards their room, and she finds him lying on the bed with his laptop in his lap.

"How was dinner?" he asks, shutting the mac closed and placing it on the nightstand.

She crawls onto the bed and leans in for a kiss, "Good," murmured against his lips.

"Yeah? Tell me about it."

"We went to, _fuck_—," she's interrupted when Graham begins kissing her neck, and she can't focus on her story anymore. "Graham," she moans when he finds and sucks on her pulse point, and she feels his smirk against her skin, "I can't tell you about dinner while you- _fuck."_

"In all honesty, I can't seem to care about dinner right now."

* * *

_"Swan!" she hears from somewhere behind her in the hallway. When she turns around to see who's yelling her name so damn loud, she finds a panting Killian right before her._

_"Jones," she nods curtly, turning on her heel and continuing on her journey to the cafeteria. _

_He chases after her, managing to catch up and fall into step with her. "So, I'd say the first date went rather well, won't you?"_

_"'First date' implies there being more to come." She intends on making it a joke, but she's never been one for humor and it comes out harsher than planned._

_His smirk drops at that, a frown appearing on his face. "Oh. I, uh—"_

_"Oh God, I was kidding! __**Shit, **__I need to learn how to make jokes."_

_"__**Oh!**__ No, no – that was funny," he smiles, trying to reassure her and she can't help not smile back __**especially **__when he looks at her like that._

_"Don't lie to me, Jones," she teases._

_"I'd never."_

**_(He doesn't lie about that either, two years of a relationship, and he's never once told her anything but the truth)_**

_"So," he grins, "how about that second date, huh?"_

_(They go out on their second date two days later. He takes her to a nearby diner and though it isn't much, it's everything.)_

* * *

_I could technically get fired for this_

_But he looks soo good_

_Ruby Lucas has sent you 2 image(s)_

It's Saturday morning when she wakes up to Ruby's several texts, timestamped _3:46AM_. She slides her phone unlocked, one eye cracked open to see a picture of Killian and a few other men modeling in dark grey suits. All the men look smart, but admittedly, Killian's the best looking there. The next picture, he's in a darker colored suit, one foot on a soccer ball ('_football!' _she can just hear him correcting her) and one hand on his tie. He looks straight into the camera, not bothering to even smile, and yet his eyes are bright and sparkling and _shit him for looking this good. _

**_Stop texting me about him. Get a life._**

_Fortunately, this is my life – taking pictures of hot guys_

She wants to ask her how she can be up by nine when she was awake that late the night before because Emma Swan needs her eight hours of sleep, or she'd be _extremely _grumpy the next day. She looks around the room and sees she's the only one there, Graham probably on call right now. She lays back in bed alone and she can feel sleep beginning to overtake her again.

_He does look good, doesn't he?_

_You can admit it_

_Emma?_

She doesn't bother replying Ruby, choosing sleep over her infuriating friend. After all, she's only had seven hours of sleep – she can afford going back to sleep for one more hour.

* * *

_"Liam's staying for a few more days – just in time to watch a match."_

"Is that so?"

_"Yeah. Do you- I know football isn't your thing- but I can get extra tickets if you want to come," _he stutters throughout and it's adorable, because all he's asking is for her to come and watch his match and he can't even form a complete sentence. _"Your boyfriend can come too!" _he offers.

"I'll come, I'll come," she laughs, and she can _feel _his face light up. "I'm sure Graham would like to come too. He loves soccer."

"**_Football_**_, love. It's called football."_

"Right. Forgive me," she smirks.

_"Forgiven only if you come."_

"Then I'll come."

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for reading! Reviews, favourites and follows are very very appreciated :)**


	3. Seventeen

"Your ex?"

"Yeah?"

"Not… _Neal _right?" David hisses the name like it's tabooed, and when she smiles and shakes her head, the scared look on his face vanishes. "Then which one?"

"Killian," she replies, "Dated in high school, long distance didn't work," she shrugs, taking a bite of her sandwich.

She'd been eating in the lunchroom when he'd sprung on her and questioned her who this ex Mary Margaret was talking about was. He'd gone straight to overprotective big brother figure, asking whether he'd hurt her and if he came back to look for trouble. It was only then when she realized why she'd connected with David so well, having never been one to mix friends with work. He's basically another version of Liam, she sees it now.

From the moment she'd got her job at the firm three years ago, he'd taken her under his wing. He told her what to watch out for and how to get on people's good sides, being her number one guide to the firm.

She'd been the one to introduce Mary Margaret to him, and their connection was instantaneous. Since then, Emma and him had gotten closer, both of them promising to watch each other's backs.

He'd been the only person she talked about Neal to. While telling the story, she noticed how tightly his fist was clenched and the moment she started dating Graham, he'd had interrogated him thoroughly, giving the whole 'you-hurt-her-I'll-kill-you' talk.

"So what does he want now? I _swear_ Emma, if he's back to cause trouble, I'll hurt him – I swear it."

"_Woah_, as much as I appreciate you looking out for me, Killian's not back to hurt me. He didn't even hurt me in the first place!" she defends because he's _not _a bad guy.

"So you and him _weren't _serious?" He looks confused.

"We were. He just- he didn't break my heart when we ended things."

"_So_, you didn't _really _love him?" he furrows his eyebrows. "I don't get it."

She sighs as she shakes her head, "We were serious and I _did_ love him," she presses, "I meant to say, my heart was broken when we ended things, but he didn't break it. Do you get what I'm saying?"

"It wasn't his fault," he answers, nodding his head in understanding.

"Yeah."

And the truth was, it _wasn't_ his fault. It was as mutual as a break up could possibly be. He was busy juggling college, a part-time job and taking care of his brother, and she'd just gotten an offer from New York University.

They just didn't have the time for each other.

"You'd like him though – he's a good guy."

"Then why doesn't Mary Margaret like him?" he raises a skeptical eyebrow (because _of course_, if _she _said one small thing about _anyone_, he'd be their biggest enemy in no time).

"She _didn't _like him – back when he was our high school's biggest player," she explains, and it's true – Emma could just tell how much her friend had hated him at the start of their relationship, but once he proved his worth, Mary Margaret had become his biggest fan.

"I'll have to meet the guy first," he concludes with a very fatherly nod of the head, and she can't help but laugh.

* * *

_"__Seventeen," he says randomly as they're lying in his bed, her head against his chest and under his chin, their fingers fiddling about with each other's._

_She tilts her head up, asking for an explanation, but he just smiles._

_"__Seventeen," he repeats._

_"__Seventeen?"_

_"__Yeah – it should be our number," he says simply, shrugging his shoulders as he continues to smile. _

_"__Our number?" she asks, furrowing her eyebrows at him in confusion, which apparently is quite amusing to him as he huffs out a laugh._

_He hums, "Our number. You know - how some couples have songs or those stupid sayings?" he asks rhetorically, but waits for her to nod anyway, "We should have a number – and our number should be seventeen."_

_Her lips tilt upwards and she brings his fingers to her mouth, kissing them softly. "Okay."_

_"__Okay? You're not going to ask why seventeen, why not ninety three or something?" he frowns slightly, and she tilts her head up to kiss the underside of his jaw._

_"__It's probably something sappy, knowing you," she teases and he rolls his eyes at that. (He doesn't like to admit that he's quite the romantic always saying, __**'I have a bad boy reputation to uphold, you know'**__)_

_"__It is," he admits with a huge grin. "Come on – ask."_

_"__Fine," she whines, giving in. "Why seventeen?"_

_He looks utterly pleased, the already wide smile growing wider on his lips. "Seventeen dates until you told me you loved me."_

_She pauses at that. She hadn't expected that to be it – instead she thought it was the date of the first time she kissed him or something (she has never been good with dates – always getting them wrong in history class __**(God knows how she's a lawyer now) **__but he's never been one to hold that against her – always enjoying being the one to surprise her). _

_"__You counted?" she raises an eyebrow to mask her initial shock._

_"__Maybe."_

_"__I can't believe you counted."_

_"__Love, it took you seventeen dates for you to realize you loved me, and you're the first person I've ever truly loved – of course I counted," he smiles and how can he __**not **__think he's sappy and romantic?_

_She hits him in the chest, but he manages to grab her hand in time before she pulls it away and he places feather kisses on her knuckles. When he finally lets go, the whole while his eyes staring into hers, she rests her head back contently against his chest. She doesn't understand how she managed to be this lucky in finding someone like him. She doesn't deserve him, she knows that for sure, but she doesn't care. When it comes to him, she allows herself to be selfish._

_She's never felt so __**full**__, never felt so __**loved**__, until he came along – with his Irish swagger and his mesmerizing blue eyes that managed to capture you by just a look and __**him**__. _

_And this being said, she's completely aware of what others think – that they're only seventeen; that they don't __**really **__know what love is – but she'd be damned if __**this **__was not love. _

_"__That wasn't when I realized I loved you," she hums, and she feels him cock his head to the side in curiosity, "I'd say around the eighth date – just took me awhile to come to terms with it," she shrugs._

_"__Hm. Well that's new information."_

_He smiles widely before leaning in to kiss her._

* * *

She calls him up on Wednesday night, just after receiving Graham's text saying he'd be able to make it for the match, and she can feel him beam on his end. He tells her to meet Liam beforehand, seeing as he has the tickets and she can't help her lips from curling upwards when she hears the absolute enthusiasm in his voice.

She's glad his success hasn't changed him one bit – she's sure that being a professional athlete, he'd have many friends or family to have watched his matches, yet he still sounds excited.

It's the same as the high school Killian. He was soccer captain, and he'd still get shy when he asked her to come and watch his matches (not like she wasn't going to in the first place).

He talks animatedly about the match, things she doesn't really understand – like what a full back is or who this player is – but she listens anyway, a smile glued to her face because she can just imagine his hands moving excitedly as he tells her these things.

By 10:45 _(have they really been talking for that long?) _he says he has to get up early for training tomorrow and bids her goodnight with a _'Sweet dreams, Swan'. _

After his call, she tries to stay up late enough to wait for Graham to come home but ends up falling asleep 20 minutes later as she flips through the channels.

When he does come home, Nat Geo is turned on – some sort of documentary of what looks like the Aboriginals. He finds her laid out on the sofa, three cushions atop her legs in an attempt to warm her up.

When she wakes up, she's in their bed.

It's empty.

* * *

Between then and the match, she and him are in constant conversation. She hadn't realized how much she'd actually missed just talking to him until he came back into her life. They don't actually meet, both having hectic schedules, instead choosing to stick with texts and calls.

She doesn't know when it happens, but in the short time since their reunion, he'd managed to get under his _'favorites' _in her contacts, the log book showing he had succeeded in overtaking her calls with Ruby and Mary Margaret combined.

She doesn't even know what they talk about, all she knows is that conversation doesn't stop flowing when it comes to him. They don't even talk about serious things, just filling each other in with stories of theirs from the last six years. She's mentioned Neal, and he's mentioned Milah, though neither of them pushes the other to expand more on the subject on ex lovers. (And God she's glad he doesn't – the wound of Neal is still fresh and painful, and she doesn't think talking about it with another one of her exes would help.)

It isn't romantic what they have – completely platonic (though Ruby doesn't seem to think so) and that's exactly what she needs.

* * *

It's the an hour before they're supposed to leave for the match when Graham tells her he's been scheduled for a five-hour surgery and that he can't make it. She tries not to show the hurt she's feeling of his sudden bail by brushing it off with an _'I'm sure Elsa would like to come' _and a good luck kiss.

It's half an hour after he's left the apartment that he texts another _'I'm sorry, darling. I'll make it up to you :(' _and she replies with a brisk _'__**It's really okay**__'. _

She calls up Elsa soon after, offering her to take up Graham's ticket and she agrees immediately. She feels the excitement in her voice as she replies a jumbled _'I'll see you soon!' _before abruptly hanging up and she imagines her blonde friend dropping whatever she's doing to get to where they've decided to meet.

Thanks to the subway, she's at their meeting point within ten minutes and finds Liam and what looks like a six-year-older version of Arielle (still beautiful as ever) waving toward her as they walk hand in hand to her. She pulls Emma in for a tight hug and greets with a much exaggerated _'It's been forever'._ Her American accent is still strong, but there's a slight British lilt to her words, probably picked up after spending years in England and/or Ireland (she isn't exactly sure of the couple's whereabouts for the last six years) with Liam.

He stands idly by, watching his fiancé converse with Emma and she can see the utter love and devotion in his eyes as he stares at her. Meantime waiting for Elsa, the ever so talkative Arielle manages to fit in a shy showing off of her engagement ring and what feels like at least three years worth of memorable stories before Elsa shows up.

She's all smiles as she approaches, and after careful thought, Emma comes to the conclusion that Elsa's not wearing Killian's team jersey.

"Yeah," she starts without Emma having to say anything, "Jack's a fan of Galaxy _(she assumes she means the opposing team, but nods anyway) _and he'd kill me if I wore a NYC jersey," she shrugs.

Arielle gasps at that before linking her arm with Elsa. "I know _exactly _how that feels – Mr. Arsenal over here gets upset when I say a player from another team is good looking!"

If Elsa's taken aback at the sudden spring of conversation, she doesn't show it, instead she goes on and agrees, talking about _Jack _and _football _and _God knows what else_ as they begin walking towards the stadium.

"She hasn't changed one bit," Emma smiles, nodding her head at Arielle as she and Liam follow behind the new friends. _(She swears she hears a 'Oh! I'm Arielle by the way!' followed by an introduction on Elsa's part)_

"I wouldn't have her any other way."

It's a simple sentence, yet she knows how much he means it and if _that _isn't love she doesn't know what is. (She makes the executive decision to bend her no marriage rule a bit more to make room for Liam and Arielle)

They're lining u p to hand in their tickets when Killian sends her a picture of him and his teammates in the dressing room; he's grinning widely, holding his thumb up in the dorky way he always does and she can't help the small huff of a laugh that escapes past her lips.

_Wish us luck._

**_Good luck Jones + teammates_**

_You're here right?_ he texts back immediately and she senses the hopefulness behind the words.

Instead of replying him though, she takes a picture of herself in the line, pouting at the long queue.

_I'll see you soon then, _he replies and she can just tell he's typed it in with a huge grin on his face.

* * *

It takes half an hour after they've settled down for the players to emerge, all in their warm up bibs. They've got quite good seats (knowing a player on the pitch helps, apparently) and she manages to spot the familiar mop of dark hair. When Arielle eagerly bounces on her seat searching the field to find Killian, it takes Emma exactly 2 seconds to respond with a short point and a _'he's the one with the blue boots'_.

Elsa's one of the only ones wearing the opposing team's jersey in their zone, and Emma's noticed a few stink eyes given her way. She takes it in with grace, their glares not fazing her bright smile.

It's another twenty minutes until the player reenter the tunnel, (she assumes to get changed and ready for the game to begin) when Ruby texts her.

_You invited Elsa without me?!_

**_You don't even like football!_**

_Neither do you!_

**_I only had a spare ticket_**

_Yeah, yeah _

_Say hi to Jones for me_

She's about to reply a short _'will do'_ when she hears the announcer call _Killian Jones _and she automatically drops her phone to her lap to clap for him.

She turns to the big screen, and it's focused on him as he jogs out from the tunnel and onto the field. Liam's cheering proudly for his younger brother and Emma can't help but smile.

The match begins less than twenty minutes later, and it _looks like _Killian's team is doing well. They pass the ball smoothly between each other, and when the other team (she has yet to learn their name) (_something _Galaxy, she thinks) manages to intercept the ball, the men in light blue in turn manage to get the ball back swiftly.

Over the cheers and jeers of the crowd, when Emma asks Liam _'bloody annoying' _questions of _why the whistle was blown, _or _why that was considered a foul but the other tackle not, _or _what the hell an offside rule is_, she can barely hear his patient explanation, all the while keeping his eyes glued to the game going on. She can hear Elsa's huffs and see her eye rolls at the questions she asks, but it's not her fault _her _boyfriend doesn't watch soccer.

She swears she's watching the game as a whole, but her eyes can't help but drift towards Killian. He looks good like this – as a soccer player – tight fitting baby blue shirt (that she's sure helps bring out his eyes) tucked into the same colored shorts.

She checks her phone for a second to see the time, and a moment later there's a burst of loud cheers. Liam, Arielle and Elsa are on their feet, jumping with the crowd and it takes a moment for Emma to turn to the big screen and see that Killian's team has scored. They're all celebrating with the scorer, patting him on the back while he huffs his chest out proudly.

"Did you see that pass Killy made!" Liam asks proudly as he continues to applaud. "Bloody brilliant that little git is."

* * *

The match goes downhill from there. At the 55th minute mark, as Killian's about to take a shot, he's tackled by the opposing team's number 4 _badly_. He's on the ground clutching his leg for about ten seconds before the referee blows the whistle to call the medics to assist him.

He's ushered off the field and substituted for their number 14, claps sounding all over the stands as he walks off.

Liam suspects it's a torn muscle or a sprained ankle and assures Emma it won't be too bad when he sees the worry apparent on her face.

The opposing team scores less than ten minutes later and the match ends as a draw.

When they meet Killian afterwards, he's got his ankle wrapped, confirming Liam's guesses, when he hobbles towards them, limping on his left foot. His smile is still as bright as usual, his white teeth shining, reflecting his bright eyes.

He doesn't seem at all fazed about the draw, simply happy that they'd come to support him. When she introduces Elsa to him, he makes a lame joke that makes her roll her eyes (_"Did you change teams after me, love?"_) before she hits him hard on the arm.

He assures them he's alright and that he just can't play for only under a month, and though he says that's not how he wanted to start the season off, he smiles it off.

She doesn't know how he still does it.

* * *

(Graham does keep to his word and makes it up for her that night.)

(_Four_ _times_.)

-/-

It's only later that week when she's reading the newspaper and decides to turn over to the sports section that she sees an article on Killian's injury.

She doesn't know _how_ she didn't realize it the whole time she watched him play the match, but the number on his back in the picture used makes her stare unbelievingly at the paper as her mind plays flashes of that scene from years ago.

_17._

* * *

(She asks him about it two days later.)

(_Seventeen dates_, is all he replies.)

* * *

**A/N: I'm in London now on holiday for three weeks, so hopefully I can get some motivation here to write more. **

**Reviews, favourites and follows are amazing, thank you for all of them :)**


	4. Parents

"_So_? What happened?" she asks as she lands with a dull thump on his couch.

He'd texted her randomly at 1 am, just as she's about to head to bed, telling her that he really needed her help. He didn't even tell her what it was that happened, just that he needed her help, and for some unknown reason, she's at his apartment.

(For another unknown reason, she lies to Graham, telling him that it's Ruby that needs her help instead of Killian. She doesn't know why she does it, there's _nothing _to hide.)

He looks distressed; pinching the bridge of his nose while he rests his other hand on his hip. He runs said hand through his hair, messing it up even more, before he finally answers her.

"Ayden… he's uh- he got arrested."

"_What?!" _she jumps into a sitting position as her mouth hangs agape. "What did he do?"

"Bloody hell – I don't know lass," he sits down next to her, elbows on his knees as he hides his face in his hands. "I haven't got a clue what to do – I'm not cut out to take care of a teenage boy," he sighs, his voice muffled through the palm of his hand.

She places her hand on his back, rubbing his back reassuringly. "Why isn't your dad dealing with this?"

"He left a year after mum died."

"_What?_"

Oh god she feels bad. She knows a lot can happen in six years, but she never thought shit like _that_ would happen. Mr. Jones had always seemed like such a nice man on the few occasions she's met him. While he wasn't too close to Killian, it was obvious he had a good relationship with the other two Jones boys, always joking around and being playful with them. From what she saw, she didn't think Killian minded it too much that his father favored his brothers being much closer to their mother.

Maybe she didn't know him as well as she thought.

"Yeah – thank god I dropped out of college to play football by then," he shrugs non-committedly.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Lass, there's _a lot _that's happened in the past six years," he huffs out a laugh, and for some reason she feels a pang of guilt.

Maybe they _didn't _end things as well as she thought. Had they ended it well, they would've never needed to tell each other stories of their last six years, having never lost contact with each other. She blames herself for it. After the break up, he still _wanted to be friends_, but she remembers vividly saying she doesn't think she can do it for a long time – that _it'd hurt too much_.

(_He _doesn't blame her – being _friends _with her would hurt him just as much, if not more, but he knew he'd feel that hollow emptiness without her in his life. He'd rather hurt, than not have her at all)

(But he gets it)

(He always gets it)

"You're right. Now, what happened to Ayden?" she changes the subject back to the initial problem because _that _can be dealt with later, _Ayden,_ on the other hand, has to be dealt with _now_.

"God knows," he sighs, and she looks at him confused. "I, uh- I may have hung up on him when he called me."

"You're kidding."

"I don't know what to do, Swan! I don't know whether to be the hard ass brother and leave him in there for the night as a lesson, or bail him out because I don't want him to hate me!" He's balling his hands into fist and she has unclench his fingers one by one to stop his knuckles from turning white. "I'm not Liam – I don't know how to handle this – he's _always _been better with Ayden. I'm just the middle child that never really _fit_," he breathes heavily and he unconsciously runs his hand through his hair. "I love him. I just don't know what to do."

"Hey, _hey_," she says in a futile attempt of calming him down, moving to entwine her hands with his in a show of reassurance, "You're a great brother, okay? It's not your fault Ayden's acting out now – it's just one of those phases, I promise. He'll grow out of it," she assures him, staring deep into his blue eyes as she speaks the words. (He _needs _to hear that he's not a bad brother – _he needs this_) "Now why don't we go to the station and bail him out, _then _you can kick his ass all the way to Liam if you like."

He smiles at that, unable not to when it comes to her.

(He doesn't know what it is, but there's something about her that always gets him to calm down.)

"Yeah, _yeah_, okay."

-/-

"On a scale of 1 to 10, how angry is he at me?"

"We need a wider range, kid," she offers him a smile as she pats him on his back.

"He hasn't even _looked _at me, Emma."

"He just needs some time, you know? But you need to apologize."

"I screwed up."

The way he sits on the edge of the couch, bent over reminds her of how Killian sat just over an hour ago. The whole drive back from the station was silent. The tension between the two brothers was palpable. She saw how Killian's knuckles were beginning to turn white as he gripped tightly on the steering wheel. She basically had to pull his hand off the steering wheel at the red light to make sure blood would still be flowing.

The moment they got back to their apartment, Killian had made a beeline for his room and grabbed his running shoes. _("I'm just going to go out for a bit.") ("Killian, it's 2 in the morning," she coaxed.) ("It's always good to stay fit.") ("You're foot's just hea—" she doesn't have time to finish before he shuts the door behind him.) _

"What were you thinking? _Drugs?_" She realizes she has to have this talk with him because knowing Killian, he's not going to. "You know better than that – _especially _knowing his rules—"

"_I know_," he begs, and the tears are beginning to well up in his eyes. She can't help but feel bad for him, but he _needs _to learn. "I swear, Emma – that was the first time, and the last. It's just- everyone was doing it, you know? I don't usually—"

"_Hey_, I know," she says softly. "But don't you see why he's so upset? He thinks it's his fault – he thinks that if you were staying with Liam, this wouldn't happen. He's blaming himself."

"_No_, it isn't his fault. He's the best _dad_ I could ever ask for, _not even Liam_," he stresses, "He'd _always _been the one to take care of me. When Liam was in senior year, he was _only busy with freshman year_," he quotes, "but when he was in senior year, Liam was in Uni. Liam's life was put ahead of Kill's, always needing to take care of me. I feel like – It's like he's always been _stuck _with me, and he's never once complained."

"That's because he loves you, Ayden."

"_Yeah_, but he's done so much for me, and all I've done is _disappoint_," he sighs, his face falling back into his hands.

She smiles. "You're not a disappointment, but tell him all of this. Tell him all that you're feeling. He'd appreciate it, I promise."

"You're right," he replies and she pulls him into a hug. "I'm glad you're back," he says, and her smile grows. "We're finally getting old Killy back."

"What're you talking about? He hasn't changed one bit," she laughs.

He shrugs in her arms. "_No_, you weren't there. I don't know – I thought it was because of," he pauses, taking a deep breath before breathing out the word, "_mum_ – you know how he was always closer to her. He was just all _mopey, _and _dull_ and _sad," _he recollects, "stopped smiling, you know? He smiled more with Milah – but that wasn't real. Until _you_."

She pulls back, and stares at him confused. Her eyebrows are furrowed and she can't find words to reply to him. "I- I'm not _back _to get back together, you know?" she finally manages, and all he does is smile.

"We'll see," he shrugs.

Her mouth is hanging agape and she trying to think about what to tell him, but before she can find some words to say, the door swings open with a sweaty Killian emerging from it.

"Hey," he says breathily, still panting from his apparent run. He wipes his damp forehead with the back of his hand as we walks past them and into his room.

Both Ayden and Emma are unsure of what to do or how to react, simply staring mutely at his door until he reappears with a towel in his hand. He stares straight ahead as he walks towards the fridge and grabs a water bottle.

She stares at Ayden expectantly, and when he does nothing, she nudges hard in his side, making him flinch and mouth an _'Ow!' _at her. She nods towards Killian as he's beginning to retreat back into his room, and it's only then when he seems to get her idea.

_"__Killian!_" Ayden calls and his brother pauses in his tracks. He jumps over the couch and lands a few feet behind him. "I screwed up, Kill. I screwed up bad, and I'm sorry. You've done _everything_ for me and all I've managed to give you in return is screwing up. I doubt I'll ever be able to make up for this – but _I promise _I won't screw up again."

He takes a moment, but turns around after a few seconds of silence. She tries to read his face from her spot on the couch (while at the same time trying to not look _too _invested at the scene playing out) and even she can't tell what he's thinking. Ayden's eyes are pleading whereas the older of the two's are hard and strong.

The tension in the room is heavy – and it all vanishes when Killian unclenches his fist and lets out a rough, _"Come here_."

Ayden practically runs into his older brother's arms and Killian holds him tightly.

"You're an idiot, and a git, and if you even _think _of doing something like that again, you're being shipped off to Aunt Lizzie," he threatens, but even from where she's sitting, she can see the soft upward tilt on his lips.

"Oh God no," Ayden laughs through a sob, "She has 'bout 50 cats."

"_Yeah_, and I'll make sure she puts you on shit duty."

-/-

After the boys reconcile, she heads home – but since she got there by cab, Killian insists on driving her back as _'a show of thanks' _for everything she's helped him with.

She asks him about his father on the drive back.

He tells her everything.

When she crawls into bed and Graham asks her why she's tearing up, she lies with a _'Ruby's just an idiot_,' and a laugh. She's still unsure _why _she's lying to him – _she has nothing to hide_.

Killian and her, they're just two friends helping each other out.

(Except they'll never _just_ be friends.)

-/-

_"__You're coming right?" she asks the moment he shuts his locker door close and the initial shock on his face is replaced with a bright smile. _

_"'__Ello, love," he greets, tilting his head the slightest bit down to press his lips hard on hers. _

_There are a few cheers from the boys of the soccer team at their public display of affection, (Emma's __**never**__ been one to PDA) but he gets them to simmer down with a middle finger in the air as he continues to kiss her, while his other hand moves to her hair to he cradles her head. _

_"__Hi."_

_He smiles cheerfully at her, swinging his arm around her shoulder and pulling her to his side, while hers manage to snake around his waist, as he leads her towards the doors of their high school. "To answer your question, lass – yes, I'm coming."_

_"__Good."_

_"__It does seem like a bit of pressure on my end," he mentions, walking down the cemented steps, "__**Both**__ your parents in one dinner – quite the second meeting."_

_"__Well, I wouldn't be too worried if I were you – I hear you're quite the charmer," she winks._

_He grins broadly back at her, "'That so?"_

_"__Charmed one Swan – only two more to go."_

_He huffs out a laugh as he opens the passenger door for her, ushering her into his pickup truck before entering through the other side. "And do you know how tough it was to charm you?"_

_"__Wasn't that tough," she mentions and he raises an eyebrow at that, "The tough part was getting me to admit."_

_"__Then let's hope your parents are the same."_

_-/-_

"You said you could make it."

_"__I know I did, love, but-" _he stops midsentence and she hears a muffled _'I'm coming!' _away from the phone, _"Sorry about that. I really don't think I can make it. Remember Chris – the boy with cystic fibrosis? We finally got him a pair of new lungs. I really can't."_

She wants to be angry, she wants to tell him that it's the fourth time in the past two months that he's bailed on her, but he's _saving lives_. In the grand scheme of it all, skipping out on dinner with her father is nothing compared to the life of a teenaged boy who's been suffering for the past two years. She feels guilty for even thinking it, to be upset that he's helping some parents get their child back, but she knows it's not his intention.

She doesn't say anything about it.

(She never does.)

"It's alright," she sighs. "We'll reschedule a dinner with him tomorrow or something. He's going to be in New York for a few days anyway," she says, trying to make him not feel too bad about himself.

_"__I swear, if I could, I would – you know that right?" _he tells her and she murmurs a soft '_I know'. "I'll call you back after the surgery, yeah?"_

"Yeah. Good luck, babe," she wishes, "Love you."

_"__Thanks, love you too," _he replies before hanging up.

_Perks of having a doctor boyfriend, huh? _she thinks sarcastically to herself before internally kicking herself. How could she think that way when he was saving lives? It's so much more than what _she's _ever done.

She texts her father telling him that it'll only be her tonight, and surprisingly, he doesn't interrogate her there and then about _why _it's only her (and God she's thankful for it – she's scared that if someone does ask her, she'll burst and say things she doesn't _really _mean). He just replies telling her _'I'll see you tonight, honey' _with an added _kissy face _emoji. (He's recently learned how to download apps, and _of course _that'd be the first thing he downloads)

(It's cute really – her father and technology, though she'd never tell him that)

When she replies him with a _'See ya, Dad :)' _and he texts back with five different versions of smiley faces, her eye roll doesn't manage to hide her smile.

-/-

"So," her father begins and she already knows what's coming, cringing in advance, "are you going to tell me what happened to your date?"

"He's my _boyfriend_, not my date, Dad."

"My point exactly. You've been with the man– a year?" she nods, "- and I haven't yet met him."

"_Dad_, you met him when we had dinner four months ago?"

"Oh, so the time he _did _show up to our planned dinners?" her father retorts and she knows he means no harm saying it, but it's true.

"_Dad_."

"'Just saying. The one time I meet him, he's not even memorable enough to remember." He shrugs. "I'm just wondering why you're not with someone that actually _wants _to meet the family. Unlike that boy before – what's his name?"

"Neal?" she questions, her eyes squared because Neal _was not _in law material.

"No, no – the one during high school."

_Oh God_. Hasn't she heard this enough? How Killian is so much better for her than Graham is? Honestly, the only person left on Team Graham is Mary Margaret (even _David _likes Killian, having met him when Killian bumped into them while they were having coffee during lunch break).

"Killian," she answers non-committedly, as she takes a sip of the wine (she's more a beer person, but since her dad is paying, _why not?)_

"_Killian!_ _That_ was a good catch."

"They're _people_, Dad, not fish," she says rolling her eyes. "It doesn't matter if Killian had dinners with you or mom – I'm with _Graham _now, and he makes me happy –" _I think_, " – and he's a doctor, I knew it was going to be like this when I got into a relationship with him."

"As long as you're okay that it's _always _going to be like this," her father concludes, turning back to his meal with a shrug.

_Always going to be like this. _

She doesn't know if she's okay with that.

-/-

They don't manage to reschedule a dinner, both the men in her life ending up busy on alternate days, and she decides to cancel altogether.

Graham says he's sorry and they have their usual makeup sex. When they lie together in bed later, he tells her he'll make it the next time and presses his lips on her temple.

She realizes when she's laying there awake at 4 am that his kisses don't change the fact that her father's words still resonate in her head.

-/-

_"__In all honesty," she hears Killian speak from where he's sitting in the living room through the kitchen, "I don't quite fancy American football," he pauses and she's a hundred percent sure that he's stopped to scratch the back of his ear, "I'm more of a __**soccer**__ fan," he says and she can imagine him cringing at the name he's called it._

_"'__That so?" her father's masculine voice replies. "Do you play?"_

_"__In the school team and a youth club, sir."_

_"__Are you good?"_

_"__I hope so – then again, the only people who has told me I'm any good are my mother and brother, and they're bound to lie even if I weren't."_

_Her father's booming laugh sounds through the house, "Well, Emma says you're pretty good. Captain of the school team, I hear?"_

_"__Yeah."_

_"__I'd love to watch one of your matches – played soccer quite a bit at your age."_

_"__I'd love to watch one of your matches – played soccer quite a bit at your age."_

_"__Yeah?" Killian replies, she knows there's a smile when he says it. __**His**__ father's only come for one match in the past three years, so she can tell how much this means to him. _

_Her father's reply is too soft for Emma to hear, and before she attempts to get into a better position in order to hear, her mother calls her back to her dishwashing duty. _

_"__Your father seems to like him."_

**_'_****_Your father'_**_she remembers back when it would be __**Dad seems to like him**__, but that was way before the divorce, before everything went sour for their marriage. But things have changed since then, and she likes to think that she adapted well._

_"__And you?"_

_Her mother smiles softly at her, her red painted lips curving upwards, "I like him too."_

_"__That's good," she smiles up at her mother._

_"__Don't let the good ones go, darling."_

_"__I know."_

-/-

"She's just paranoid—"

"_No,_ she's just finally seeing the truth—"

"She's just overwhelmed now that Killian's back—"

"That's because Killian and her are meant for each other—"

"But she's with _Graham—"_

"But _Killian's _who she's _supposed _to be wit—"

"_She_ is right _here_," Emma cuts in after hearing too much.

She's had enough with people telling her _how to run her life, _and _who to date, _and _whether he's right for her or not._

It's _her _life.

"I told you guys all of this because you're supposed to _help _me, not to argue on who you _ship _me with," she throws a glare at Ruby at the word, and her friend raises her hands up in surrender.

Elsa on the other hand, sits there watching everyone arguing with each other, not seeming to know how to join in on the discussion.

"Okay," Elsa speaks up nonetheless, "So, let's get this straight. You love Graham," Emma nods, "and you _loved _Killian," she nods again, "and now suddenly he's back and you see that Graham's not trying hard enough?"

"Um," she sounds, "It's not exactly that. It's just with Killian back, all these old memories come flying back and I don't know – Graham seems…"

"_Lacking?"_ Elsa offers.

"_Yeah._"

The other two girls look at Elsa amazed. She simply offers them a shrug when Ruby looks like she's about to question how she'd been able to read her so well.

(Later, Elsa answers their wondering questions when she tells them that she's been a high school counselor for the past four years, and Mary Margaret and Ruby barrel her asking what type of things she hears)

(Elsa smirks and tells them it's _student-counselor confidential)_

"I'm sorry," Mary Margaret says softly, reaching out and placing her hand softly atop of Emma's. "We just want you to be happy, and I'm sorry we forced our opinions on you," she apologizes, and Emma smiles.

Her friend had always been the type to try comfort and ease people with apologies and soothing words. While they may not always be too effective, she appreciates them nonetheless.

She watches as Mary Margaret stares at Ruby expectantly, but the brunette just shrugs.

"Nope," she shakes her head, "not getting an apology from me. Killian made you _happy, _and you haven't been as happy as you were back then until he came back. Ever since him, you _barely _put yourself out there, and the one time you did between Killian and Graham, you made the _shit _mistake of Neal," Ruby says and she doesn't stutter at all through the words she says. "He broke your heart and you went back to _post-Killian Emma_. And then you meet Graham and you jump right into a relationship with him, unconsciously choosing a similar version of Killian – grey eyes and brown hair put aside. Maybe you've just never realized it, Ems, but I don't think your feelings for Killian have ever gone away."

Everyone's silent for the moments after Ruby's big speech. She doesn't seem at all concerned though, taking a sip of her beer while the rest soak up what she's said.

And _that's _why she loves Ruby. Since the beginning, she's never once lied to Emma, telling her the facts as it is, not bothering to sugarcoat a single thing. (When they met in freshman year, she vividly recalls Ruby calling her out on how she tied her hair, pulling her aside to fix it for her – they then proceeded to becoming best friends.)

Mary Margaret tries to look mad at Ruby for being so blunt, but she can't seem to find it in her, the expected look of shock replaced with a look of admiration.

_I don't think your feelings for Killian have ever gone away_. It can't be true. She's in love with Graham, and loving two people _never _work. It's been six years, and they've both moved on.

She doesn't love him anymore and he doesn't love her anymore.

_These feelings are just memories_. _Nothing more. _

"But I love Graham," Emma whispers back, trying and trying to convince herself that it's _only _Graham that she loves.

-/-

**_A/N: I'm kinda running out on flashback ideas, so suggestions would really help_**


End file.
